When I decided to move to Boston for college, my biggest concern wasn’t adjusting to the city or learning to navigate the MBTA. It was coping with the cultural hatred of my favorite baseball team: the New York Yankees.
I come from a long line of Yankees fans, with my father being one of the biggest. I think he nearly fainted when I decided that the best school for me was the one at 300 Fenway.
When we first came to visit campus, my mother made him leave his signature Yankees cap in the car because she was so worried that he was going to attract negative attention or start a feud during my tour. I carried a lot of those same worries with me when I moved to the heart of Red Sox Nation.
It isn’t that I care that much about baseball. If you had asked me to name a Yankees player besides Aaron Judge last year, I don’t know if I would’ve been able to. I root for the team because my family does – not because I really care about them.
What I do care about is the culture behind the sport – regardless of the team.
I truly have nothing against Boston’s pride and joy. I love going to Fenway Park for games (where, yes, I do root for the home team) and singing “Sweet Caroline” along with everyone else. I even have my own hat for when I want to go undercover as a Red Sox fan.
Still, if I had to pick a team, it would be New York’s finest.
I came to Simmons prepared for an uphill battle on behalf of my family team – a fight that I have certainly gotten. But it hasn’t been quite as difficult as I had feared.
Sure, my friends are all Red Sox fans. And yes, they make fun of me and my team relentlessly. I’ve grown used to some casual harassment about how bad my team is (thank you, I’m aware) and lectures about not being a “real Yankees fan” if I can stomach a Red Sox game now and then.
But all things considered, the Yankees vs. Red Sox feud has actually been pretty fun for me.
There’s something to be said about the value of a friendly argument. I’ve grown to love the low-stakes fighting that comes with this sort of rivalry. I even joined a fantasy baseball league with some friends this year – something I never would have done if not for my renewed love for the game.
It’s also helped me to better appreciate and understand my own team, in the interest of keeping up with any arguments that may come my way. Now, I’m proud to say that I can name a solid half of the Yankees lineup on any given day – as well as a handful of Red Sox players!
Rivalries help us to come together as fans. We may not root for the same teams, but we all love the same game. When done right, team loyalty just adds another layer to our enjoyment of sports. Rooting for the Yankees wouldn’t be half as fun if there weren’t Red Sox fans to argue with on the other side of the stadium.
Living in Boston hasn’t made me afraid to acknowledge my family team. In fact, I’m even prouder to cheer for the Yankees now that I’m surrounded by Red Sox fans. Even if it sometimes comes with some good-natured booing.
And if the Yankees manage to win the World Series this year? Don’t worry – I’ll celebrate quietly.
Probably.
